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Community School officially opens!

Our eighth nursery school has opened its doors to children with almost 100 children enrolling in the first week!  To mark the occasion, SMBC Aviation Capital commits to a further three years financial support for Open Arms Malawi. 

​SMBC Aviation Capital commits to further three year financial support for Open Arms Malawi.

We're delighted to announce that our corporate partner, SMBC Aviation Capital has committed further financial support for Open Arms Malawi.  This will take place over the next three years through our ongoing programmes in Malawi including the construction of another nursery school in the Mangochi area.  

The news of this support coincided with the opening of our new community school in Mtsinje in southern Malawi.  The school opened its doors to children this month and has been handed over to the community to manage through a School Management Committee.

Building links with local communities in Malawi

SMBC Aviation Capital, an aircraft leasing company based in Dublin, Ireland, supported the construction of the nursery school and in total has sent 19 volunteers to work with Open Arms Malawi over the past two years. 

Another corporate partner, Johnson & Johnson has been supporting Open Arms Malawi for thirteen years, and have sent over 150 volunteers to take part in multiple construction projects.  These partnerships have been essential to helping us develop the support we give to communities.

Corporate volunteers have been joined by many of our other partners including Ashville College, George Watson College, Stewarts Melville and Verde Valley School who all contributed time to the build and supported Open Arms Malawi with very generous donations.

As the team in Malawi get ready to welcome this years volunteers, 40 volunteers from Johnson & Johnson and 10 employees from SMBC AC are getting ready to travel to Malawi in 2018 to assist with the construction of the next nursery project.

Commenting on the initiative, David Swan, COO, SMBC Aviation Capital said, “We are very pleased to continue this journey with Open Arms Malawi for the next three years.  This is a project which our entire team has embraced, both through fundraising and donations.” 

The School Management Committee will work with parents, teachers and the wider community to get the most out of the school and the potential it brings to the small village.  Open Arms will support the teachers and provide food for the daily meals but the village will run and own the school, giving a boost to the local community as well as the children.

Celebrating the opening of a new nursery school

Celebrating the opening of a new nursery school

The official opening of a new nursery school

nursery school in malawi

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